You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs

You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs
Studio album by LeAnn Rimes
Released September 9, 1997
Recorded 1997
Rosewood Studio
(Tyler, Texas)
McLain Studios
(Dallas, Texas)
Starstruck Studios
(Nashville, Tennessee)
KD Studios
(Nashville, Tennessee)
Curb Studios
(Nashville, Tennessee)Barking Dog Studios
(Mt. Kisco, New York)
Genre Country, pop, CCM
Length 43:33
Label Curb
Producer

Wilbur C. Rimes

  • Tracks 1 and 10 produced by Mike Curb, Chuck Howard and Wilbur C. Rimes
LeAnn Rimes chronology

Blue
(1996)
You Light up My Life: Inspirational Songs
(1997)
Sittin' on Top of the World
(1998)
Singles from You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs
  1. "You Light Up My Life"
    Released: August 26, 1997
  2. "On the Side of Angels"
    Released: December 1997
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Entertainment Weekly C−[2]
Robert Christgau [3]

You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs or simply You Light Up My Life, is the second studio album by American country singer LeAnn Rimes. Released in the United States by Curb Records on September 9, 1997, when Rimes was 15 years old, it followed her debut album Blue. The album was hugely successful but many critics thought that much of the material did not do Rimes' talent justice. The album has been certified 4× Platinum by the RIAA. It is the only album to ever debut number one on the Billboard 200, Top Country Albums, and Contemporary Christian charts at the same time.

Singles

Two singles were released from the album. The first one, "You Light Up My Life", peaked at number 34 and was certified gold in the United States. The second and final single released from the album is "On the Side of Angels" which peaked at number 4 on the US Country Chart.

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "You Light Up My Life"  Joe Brooks 3:37
2. "The Rose"  Amanda McBroom 3:33
3. "Bridge Over Troubled Water"  Paul Simon 4:40
4. "I Believe"  Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, Al Stillman 2:22
5. "Ten Thousand Angels Cried"  Dave Patillo 3:59
6. "Clinging to a Saving Hand"  Bill Mack 2:44
7. "On the Side of Angels"  Gary Burr, Gerry House 3:49
8. "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow"  Ira Stanphill 4:41
9. "God Bless America"  Irving Berlin 3:06
10. "How Do I Live" (Extended Mix)Diane Warren 4:57
11. "Amazing Grace" (Traditional)John Newton 4:06
12. "National Anthem" (Traditional)Francis Scott Key 1:59

Personnel

Credits adapted from You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs liner notes.[4]

  • Bob Campbell-Smith – additional recording, recording (background vocals), mixing
  • Bob Gentry – bass
  • Chuck Howard – producer
  • Curtis Randall – background vocals, bass
  • Dan Wojciechowski —drums
  • Daniel Kresco – assistant mixing
  • Dennis Willson – background vocals
  • Gary Leach – assistant mixing, background vocals
  • Glenn Meadows – master
  • Greg Hunt – recording, mixing
  • Greg Morrow – drums
  • Jeff Watkins – assistant recording (background vocals)
  • Jerry Matheny – electric guitar
  • Jimmy Kelly – keyboard
  • John Willis – electric guitar

  • Kelly Glenn – keyboard
  • Lesley Albert – production coordinator
  • Mary Ann Kennedy – background vocals
  • Michael Black – background vocals
  • Michael Rhodes – bass
  • Michael Spriggs – acoustic guitar
  • Mick Guzauski – mixing
  • Mike Curb – producer
  • Mike McClain – recording, mixing
  • Milo Deering – acoustic guitar, fiddle, steel guitar
  • Pam Rose – background vocals
  • Paul Franklin – steel
  • Scott Ahaus – assistant mixing
  • Steve Nathan – keys
  • Wilbur C. Rimes – producer

Charts and certifications

You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs debuted at number one on Billboard 200 with 186,000 copies sold in its first week,[5] the album dropped to number two in its second week but with a 10% increase with sales of 204,500. It returned to one in its sixth week with 131,500 copies sold. The album spent 13 weeks in the top 5, 17 weeks in the top 10 and a total of 55 weeks in Billboard 200. You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs was certified 4× Platinum by RIAA, denoting shipments of over 4 million copies. It is the only album in history to debut at number one on three separate charts at the same time, the three charts being the Billboard 200, the Billboard Top Country Albums, and the Billboard Contemporary Christian.

Peak positions

Chart (1997–98) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[6] 12
Canadian RPM Top Albums[7] 13
Canadian RPM Country Albums[8] 1
New Zealand Albums Chart[6] 41
UK Albums Chart[9] 170
US Billboard 200[7] 1
US Billboard Country Albums[7] 1
US Billboard Christian Albums[7] 1

End of decade chart

Chart (1990–1999) Position
US Billboard 200[10] 78

Year-end charts

Chart (1997) Position
Australian Albums Chart[11] 59
Canadian RPM Country Albums[12] 15
US Billboard 200[13] 31
US Billboard Top Country Albums[13] 6
Chart (1998) Position
Canadian RPM Country Albums[14] 8
US Billboard 200[15] 14
US Billboard Top Country Albums[15] 3
Chart (1999) Position
US Billboard Top Country Albums[16] 54

Sales

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[17] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[18] 2× Platinum 200,000^
United States (RIAA)[19] 4× Platinum 4,000,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. Owens, Thom. You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs at AllMusic
  2. Browne, David (1997-09-12). "You Light Up My Life Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
  3. Christgau, Robert. "CG: LeAnn Rimes". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
  4. You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs (CD). LeAnn Rimes. Curb Records. 1997. D2-77885.
  5. Billboard – Google 도서. Google Books. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "australian-charts.com – LeAnn Rimes – You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs". australian-charts.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Billboard - Music Charts, Music News, Artist Photo Gallery & Free Video. billboard.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  8. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  9. "Chart Log UK: The Rabble Army – RZA". Zobbel.de. Archived from the original on 2012-04-24. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  10. Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
  11. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 1997". Aria.com.au. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  12. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  13. 13.0 13.1 . google.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  14. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
  15. 15.0 15.1 . google.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  16. . google.com. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
  17. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  18. "Canadian album certifications – LeAnn Rimes – You Light Up My Life". Music Canada.
  19. "American album certifications – LeAnn Rimes – You Light Up My Life". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
Preceded by
Ghetto D by Master P
Evolution by Boyz II Men
The Velvet Rope by Janet Jackson
Billboard 200 number-one album
September 27 – October 3, 1997
October 18–24, 1997
November 1–7, 1997
Succeeded by
Butterfly by Mariah Carey
The Velvet Rope by Janet Jackson
The Album by The Firm
Preceded by
(Songbook) A Collection of Hits by Trisha Yearwood
Sevens by Garth Brooks
Top Country Albums number-one album
September 27 – November 21, 1997
February 7–13, 1998
Succeeded by
Come On Over by Shania Twain
Come On Over by Shania Twain
Preceded by
(Songbook) A Collection of Hits by Trisha Yearwood
RPM Country Albums number-one album
October 13–26, 1997
Succeeded by
The Greatest Hits Collection by Brooks & Dunn